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You can find better for much less, even from Logitech themselves.

The Logitech Clearchat Pro headset is a product that promises so much but delivers so little. While the headset is comfortable and the sound that comes from the headphones is very clear there are so many faults with this headset that simply do not make it worth the cost.

The most damning flaw is an issue that Logitech themselves have confessed to and that is that this headset is not suitable for use with a great number of laptops due to an earthing issue. Whilst using this headset with a laptop connected to the mains, many users will experience a consistent droning noise that is only remedied by unplugging the laptop. This makes this headset unsuitable for use during online gaming as the battery in most laptops will quickly run down and even prolonged use on voice applications such as Skype will be more of a chore than it should be.

The earthing issue can also be experienced by desktop PC users, although this is intermittent, and to their credit Logitech have supplied instructions on how to remedy the problem on the support section of their website but with the number of users who would expect a quality brand such as Logitech to produce user-friendly equipment, this issue is unforgivable.

Further irritation occurs with the supposed "noise-cancelling" microphone being so sensitive as to easily pick up noises from the other side of the room, or even in another room. On more than one occasion while using this microphone it has picked up somebody coughing two rooms away and this also causes some issues when audio is picked up from the headphones and relayed back through the microphone, creating an echo effect that will irk even the most placid of listeners. This can be remedied, to some extent, through tweaking the settings in the Windows Control Panel but only those who wish to spend thirty minutes tweaking before being able to properly use the microphone need apply.

The construction of the microphone is also flimsy and it feels like it would break in your hand without too much stress. It is certainly not suitable for packing into suitcases/travelling with as it is unlikely to withstand more than a few trips.

On the plus side, for what little there is, this device does have good audio quality when listening to music, playing video games or simply watching media online or through a media player. In most PC games the stereo headphones will provide just the right levels of bass and treble, without the need for too much tweaking, allowing you to immerse yourself in your gaming experience. A much needed positive for what is an overall poor piece of kit.

In addition, the headset is relatively comfortable, with the chunky, cushioned headphones providing an experience that is not too tight nor forceful on the head.

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Highly recommened, great value

I own both the wired (this one) and wireless version of this headset, and although exactly the same design similar, I actually find that I prefer this wired version. Surprisingly the wireless one actually has more cables (a USB receiver and a mains charger) and therefore more clutter.

The headset itself is sturdy and well designed. It is adjustable and comfortable to wear, with both the band at the top and the earpieces being padded. On the earpieces this helps cut out external sounds, although it can mean that if wearing the headset for a prolonged amount of time, that it can become noticeable.

The volume buttons are on outside bevel of the right ear pieces and are the easiest I have ever used, much simpler than sliders on the cable, and don't require any though at all to operate.

The inner bevel on the outside of the right ear piece acts as a mute button, making muting/un muting the microphone as easy as touching your ear. A nice little touch is that when the microphone is muted, a red light is lit up on the end of the microphone arm, so it's plain to see what state the microphone is in, and helps avoid any embarrassing situations!

The quality of the speakers, considering the price, is also every good. Apart from very clear voice calls, the headset has a music option switch, and does indeed provide rich clean sounds, although I would not recommend them as an alternative to a dedicated set of music listening headphones. For gaming they are great, especially when used with in-game communication, where again the easy to use controls prove to be very useful.

My experience of using these is on a Mac, with which they work flawlessly. The only small gripe I have is that on the Mac they don't have a dedicated menu for switching between the headphones or built in speakers - this has to be done via the system preferences panel. However, I have since discovered a freeware application called SoundSource, which enables you to switch speaker/microphone sources on the fly from the desktop. I only wish that Logitech could only bundle this or write their own version.

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An excellent headset.

The Logitech Clearchat USB Pro is a headset for the PC.

The headset comes in a black colour with some stylish silver Logitech logos on the side; it is actually very comfortable to wear as the earpieces are covered in a soft leather effect material that feels good on your ears. The leather band at the top is also cushioned and very soft so even if you are bald you won't get gouged by any nasty bits of sharp plastic! The headset is adjustable on both sides and can fit pretty much any headsize. The microphone arm is also adjustable so you can bring it up once you are done using the headset so it doesn't get in the way.

The headset is one of the easiest I have had to use, instead of the two wire design which has you unplug your speakers and plug a wire in and then another into your microphone port you simply need to insert the USB into your PC and it will detect automatically and even mute the sound from your PC speakers so it only comes out of the headset. This feature works on both Windows XP and Vista.

The speakers on the sides of the headset are very good quality, you can use these as headphones and it has a really rich sound quality to it with very good bass. I have used it on skype and I have never had any trouble with people not able to hear me and no complaints of buzzing or distortion. I have also used it with my Playstation 3 and it works flawlessly.

There is a button on the wire of the headset which enables you to quickly mute and un mute the headset and there is a light which is solid normally and will flash when you have muted it. This is handy for those situations when somebody walks in and you need to talk to them whilst chatting to someone on Skype.

If you need a good quality headset that is comfortable and sounds good I can't recommend this highly enough!